Professor Wendy Erber is Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and a diagnostic haematologist at the University of Western Australia.
1. How did you become interested in hematology versus other areas of medicine?
My interest in hematology was driven by a passion to understand the cause of blood diseases. If we understand causation, we may have a better chance of accurate diagnosis, targeted treatments and (possibly) prevention. I had the opportunity to learn from and study under the supervision of a wonderful scientist cum diagnostic hematologist at the University of Oxford. His passion for the field was infectious, and I continued on from 4 stimulating years under his guidance. His mentorship was a key component that led me down this career path. There is another answer I could give. You will find it on my TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcjVx8LtCqM
2. What have been the highlights in your career, specifically in the area of MPNs?
My career highlights in the field of MPNs have included contributing to our knowledge of the importance of the JAK2 gene. My role in assessing the bone marrow pathology informed patient diagnoses and their care. JAK2 testing was then introduced as a routine and this has helped discriminate between reactive causes of thrombocytosis and MPN. This has been a paradigm shift in diagnosis that has benefited patients and their care.
3. As a female in this area of medicine, what advice would you give women grappling with career choices in hematology and medical research?
Follow your passion. Work with the best you can. Take opportunities when they arise. And, if you do these things, you are likely to enjoy your career and be successful. You may have failures along the way: we all do! But if you don’t try, you’ll never succeed!
